It is common to store liquids, such as fuel, in portable containers for subsequent delivery into another container or the like, at a remote destination. The remote receptacle might be the fuel tank of an apparatus having an external combustion engine, such as a vehicle, a boat, a lawn mower, and so on, or might be another independent container.
Most of such portable containers have a rigid nozzle securely attached thereto at an upper outlet. In order to deliver liquid from the portable container, the portable container is lifted and tilted, and liquid is poured from the spout into the remote container.
Further, a few of such portable containers have an elongate hose attached to the portable container at an outlet, with a nozzle and spout attached to the free and of the hose. The spout is placed partially into the remote container, and liquid is delivered from the portable container to the remote container, typically by means of siphoning, and possibly pumping.
One problem that exists with the use of such portable containers is that vapor from the delivered liquid tends to escape from the remote destination. In the case of transferring liquid fuel, this is highly undesirable. Indeed, it is believed that legislation exists, or is about to be enacted, in some jurisdictions, to require the recovery of vapor when delivering fuel from a portable container. One such prior art device that attempts to recover such vapors is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,355 entitled Portable Liquid Transfer Container and Dispensing Nozzle with Non-movable Part Free Flow, Vapor Recovery and Overfill Prevention System, issued Jan. 27, 1998, to Kowalczyk. This Portable Liquid Transfer Container and Dispensing Nozzle comprises a non-movable part portable liquid transfer container with the dispensing nozzle, and includes a fillpipe sealing device and internal conduit positioned in such a manner as to enable free-flow of liquid and recovery of vapors displaced during the gravity transfer of liquids to other containers, as well as automatic shutoff of liquid transfer when the receiving container is full to prevent overfill and spillage of liquid. Unfortunately, this portable liquid transfer container is limited to use where it is raised above the level of the receiving container, and tilted so that liquid flows from the dispensing nozzle into the receiving container. It cannot be used in a more convenient manner such as where liquids are siphoned or pumped from one container to another.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid delivery system for supplying liquid from a portable container to at least one selected remote destination and removing vapor from said at least one selected remote destination, wherein the liquid delivery system is not limited to use where it is raised above the level of the receiving container, and tilted so that liquid flows from the dispensing nozzle into the receiving container.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a liquid delivery system for supplying liquid from a portable container to at least one selected remote destination and removing vapor from said at least one selected remote destination, wherein the liquid delivery system can be used in a more convenient manner such as where liquids are pumped from one container to another.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a liquid delivery system for supplying liquid from a portable container to at least one selected remote destination and removing vapor from said at least one selected remote destination, wherein the liquid delivery system can be used with or without a pump.